Concrete form or mold



Sept. 1938. E. M. FORBES CONCRETE FORM OR Mom) Filed June 23, 1956 5 Sheets-Shegt 1 r INVENTOR zdwaz'dflfr es;

ATTORNEY 'l Sept. 6, 1938. E. M. FORBES CONCRETETORM OR MOLD Filed June 23, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 07565; 6 ATTORNEY CONCRETE FORM 0R MOLD Filed June 23, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Sept. 6, 1938. v E. M. FORBES 2,129,208

CONCRETE FORM OR MOLD Filed June 23, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 BIY/( fl ATTORNEY.

Sept. 6, 1938. EM. FORBES 2,129,208

CONCRETE FORM OR MOLD 4 Filed June 23, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 6, 1938 2 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application June 23,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to concrete forms or molds for moldingvarious concrete objects or construction work; and particularly concrete curbs and gutters-of street and road surfaces.

One object of the invention is to provide a form or mold forsimultaneously forming or molding concrete structures of this character in a simple, convenient and time and labor saving manner, and whereby economy of construction of the concrete structure is ensured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a form or mold composed of parts adapted to be readily procured anywhere and united to produce the form or mold, which is adapted to be easily handled, set up and removed, which is compact and self-supporting and requires no ground stakes to be driven for bracing or steps to hold it in position, which is of sectional type and. the sections of which are readily separable to free the form from the molded concrete work, and which is adaptable to meet/requirements for curves and angles in producing round or square corners.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a form or mold of the character described which is adapted for the ready placement of ordinary wood or special manufactured expansion boards.

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which:--

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a concrete'mold or form unit embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view through a mold unit showing the same as used in molding a concrete curb and gutter.

Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the manner of separating the mold sections for removal of the form from the work.

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of a part of the mold illustrating features of construction.

Figs. 5 and 6 are views showing angle or corner units embodying the invention.

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view of the corner units shown in Figs. 5 and 6 united for use.

Fig. 8 is adetail view of a portion of the corner unit shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of an end portion of a mold unit showing the application of expansion boards and mode of use of a screed board.

Fig; 10 is a View similar to Fig. 9 illustrating 'the manner of removing. the expansion board's.

Fig. 11 isv a top plan view ofadjoiningjunits 1936, Serial No. 86,848

showing the placing of the expansion boards therebetween.

Figs. 12 and 13 are fragmentary perspective and top plan views, respectively, showing the embodiment of the invention in a form for constructing curves.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, l designates a concrete curb and gutter construction of a type which my improved form or mold has been designed to produce, said construction comprising the uniformly molded curb portion 2 and the gutter portion 3. This construction is formed with the inner facing or pavement shoulder 4, the outer facing or road shoulder 5 andthe intermediate facing or curb shoulder 6. The surface of the gutter is inclined or sloped at a suitable angle, as shown at l, for drainage purposes, as will be readily understood.

The form'or mold constituting my invention for producing this concrete curb and gutter construction comprises-a mold or form unit consisting of two longitudinally divided sections, to wit, an inner section 8 and an outer section 9. The inner section 8 comprises a mold board or plate II) for forming the concrete surface 4, which'mold board or plate is connected at suitable intervals along its length to uprights l I extending from the lower edge of the board upwardly to a suitable height above the board. the upper extensions of these uprights I I forming abutments and attaching members l2, to the outer faces of which are attached reinforcing blocks or plates l3. These parts are preferably made in whole or part of wood, although they may be made wholly of metal, as hereinafter described.

. The section 9 comprises an outer mold board or plate l4 for forming the road shoulder surface 5, an innermold board or plat I5 for forming the shoulder surface G-and frame connections I6 arranged at intervals along and connecting these mold boards or plates and adapting the section 9 for detachable connection with the abutment members 12' of the section 8 to form the complete mold. Each of these frame connections I6 comprises an upright ll secured to and extending upwardly from the board or plate 14, an upright is secured to and extending upwardly from the board or plate i5. an abutment member [9 arranged on the inner side of and parallel with the upright l8, a horizontal spacing and bracing beam or bar 20 connecting the uprights l1 and E8, inclined braces 2! arranged on opposite sides of and extending between and connecting and reinforcingthe uprights IT and I8. and the abutment member; I9, spacedv vertically disposed spacing and bracing boards or plates 22 and 23 arranged between and connecting the upright l8 and abutment l9, and a reinforcing book or plate 24 carried by the upright IS. The frame connections l6 are spaced along the length of the mold board or plate [4 the same distance as the abutment members l2 along the length of the mold board or plate ll] so that when the two mold sections 8 and 9 are properly disposed in working relationship to each other to form the complete mold the abutment members IQ of the mold section 9 will be in alinement with and bear against the abutment members 52 of the mold section B. Bolts 25 are provided for detachably fastening the mold sections together, which bolts pass through openings formed in the uprights I 8 and abutment members. 12 and I9 and the reinforcing plates or blocks l3 and 22.

Mold units constructed in accordance with my invention as thus far described may be made in any suitable length or lengths for use in molding any desired length of unitary concrete gutter and curb construction. It is preferred, however, to make these units in general of a sixteen foot length, as by placing units of such length in a row a continuous mold may be formed for producing a convenient length of curb and gutter construction in a single continuous operation, and mold units of such length, when properly made, may be readily and conveniently handled by a minimum number of workmen. Preferably five framing and abutting connections are provided along the length of a mold unit for properly tying the parts together and attaching the mold sections in a firm and substantial manner for use, but the number and arrangement of these attaching and abutting connections may vary according to the length of the unit and as circumstances or exigencies of service may require. The mold board or plate I of the section 9, if formed of wood, is preferably provided along its upper inner marginal edge with a metal shaping piece or section 26 for imparting a desired rounding curvature to the upper edge of the face or shoulder 6. A strip or rail 21 is also preferably provided upon the outer face of the mold board or plate l5 adjacent its lower edge to serve as an inner guide rail or track for use in the operation of a screed board or smoothing and leveling board 28. The strip or rail 21 may be made of wood or metal and is so arranged with respect to the upper edge of the mold board or plate M as to adapt it and such upper edge of the board or plate M to be employed as guide rails on which the screed board may be shifted for the purpose of properly trimming or leveling the upper surface l' of the gutter, as will be readily understood.

In the operation of forming a concrete gutter and curb construction of the character described, a trench 28 of suitable depth and width is first formed in the ground. The mold sections of a suitable number of mold units are then disposed in the trench and the mold sections of each unit properly arranged in abutting relation and rigidly united by the bolts 25. Between the adjacent ends of the mold units as they are arranged in position are placed vertically and horizontally disposed expansion boards or plates 29 and 30, as shown in Figs. 9 and 11, each of which boards is suitably reinforced and provided with openings 3| at one end, such boards being provided for the formation of expansion spaces into which expansion material of suitable type may be later introduced. The openings 3! in the boards are provided for the reception of hooks 32 on drag ropes or cables 33 adapting the boards, as shown in Fig. 10, to be readily and conveniently withdrawn from between the mold units at the completion of a molding operation. In place of the type of expansion boards shown, any other preferred and suitable type of expansion boards may be united. It will, of course, be understood that as the units are placed in position they are properly leveled with respect to the bottom of the trench after which the operation of filling in the concrete material is performed in any ordinary or approved way, the upper surface of the gutter being shaped by means of the screed board and the upper surface of the curb being leveled and shaped by means of a screed board guided along the upper surfaces of the mold boards or plates ill and or by suitable hand tools, or both, as circumstances in the construction of the concrete structure may require. After the concrete structure has been initially set, the expansion boards, if expansion boards are used, are withdrawn and the molds 26 of the units unfastened so as to allow the mold sections of the units to be removed. The construction of each unit section 8 and 9 is such that upon detachment of the bolts the sections may be easily and conveniently removed by simply tilting them out wardly, as shown in Fig. 3, on the lower edges of the mold boards Ill and I4 and the uprights attached thereto as fulcrumsor centers of. motion. Each section 8, which is of comparatively light weight, may be tilted outwardly directly by hand or without the use of mechanical assistance. For the purpose of enabling the heavier sections 9 to be tilted outwardly a draft rope or cable 34 may be employed the engaging end of said cable being passed over an upright l8 and a hook or like engaging element 35 on said end of the cable being engaged under the board 23 so that a strong outward pull may be exerted to swing the section 9 to a free position. If manufactured expansion material is employed in place of the expansion board, this is properly cut and fitted in position between the mold units and left to remain to fill the gaps between the portions of the complete concrete unit formed thereby.

My improved mold units, it will be noted, are of simple type and, if made of wood, may be easily constructed of material purchasable anywhere within reasonable limits of the work to be performed, so that time and labor in the construction of the mold units will be saved and very inexpensive units may be produced. These units, while substantial in construction, are very light in weight and may be easily handled by a minimum number of workmen. These forms may be so quickly removed after initial set of the concrete as to allow of finishing operations to be performed before the concrete has become fully set. The molds may, however, be made of metal, or of wood and metal, and will still be light enough to allow them to be readily and conveniently handled.

In Figs. 5 to 8, inclusive, I have shown a construction of male and female corner units A, A in which adjacent ends of the units are cut away or shortened at one side to permit such ends to be fitted together when the units are arranged at right angles to each other or in corner forming relationship. This is effected by terminating the mold plates or boards M of such sections at such ends inwardly of the ends of the mold plates or boards 10 and I5 a distance equal to the width of a unit, so that the end of mold board I4 of male unit A will abut against the end of board [4 of female unit A, while the ends of boards I and 15 of unit A will abut against the inner faces of mold boards l0 and 15 of unit A thus joining the mold boards at a proper corner angle. A lap plate 36 may be provided at the end of the mold board H] of unit A to overlap the end of the corresponding mold board of unit A and form an interlocking connection between the units. In a somewhat similar manner other angular relationships between corner mold units may be produced for forming correspondingly angled curb and gutter constructions at street or road intersections.

In Figs. 12 and, 13 I have shown an exemplificative embodiment of my invention of a unit A for forming curved curbs and gutters, in which the parts of the unit A correspond with the parts of unit A except that they are made of sheet and angle metal, the parts of unit A being designated by primed reference characters corresponding to those used to designate similar parts of unit A. Such curved units may be formed to produce curves of any radius and may be employed in connection with units A in simultaneously molding straight and curved portions of a concrete curb and gutter construction in an obvious manner.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the construction and mode of use of my improved mold for forming concrete curb and gutter constructions will be readily understood without a further and extended description, and it will be seen that the invention provides a mold which ensures a high degree of economy in the construction of the mold as well as in the carrying out of the work to be performed. While the construction shown for exemplification is preferred it will, of course, be understood that changes in the form, relation and detailed construction of the parts may be made, within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim is:-

A mold for use in forming a concrete curb and gutter construction consisting of inner and outer longitudinally divided sections, the said inner section comprising a mold board, uprights extending from the lower edge of the board upwardly to a point above the board, the upper portions thereof forming abutment attaching members, and reinforcing blocks attached to said uprights, and the said outer section comprising an outer mold board for forming a road should-er surface, an inner mold board for forming the outer face of a curb, and frame connections arranged at intervals along and connecting said mold boards and providing abutment means for engagement with the said abutment attaching members of the inner mold section to form a complete mold, said frame connections consisting of uprights attached to the road shoulder forming mold board, uprights extending upwardly from the curb face forming mold board, abutment members arranged on the inner side of and parallel with said last named uprights, horizontal transverse connecting and spacing members between the uprights extending upwardly from said road shoulder and curb face forming mold boards, inclined braces extending between and connecting and reinforcing the said last named uprights and the abutment members, spacing elements between and connecting the said abutment members and uprights extending upwardly from the curb face forming mold board, and fastening members for engagement with said abutment members of the outer mold section and the abutment attaching members and reinforcing blocks of the inner mold section, the construction being such that when the fastening members are disconnected said sections may be tilted outward in opposite directions on the mold board of the inner section and on the outer mold board of the outer section as fulcrums to readily free the mold boards from the faces of a curb formed thereby.

EDWARD M. FORBES. 

